Wafering die structure with splitter



United States Patent O 3,17),4fl WAFERHNG DE STRUCTURE Wl'IH SPLETTERRoy E. Harrington and Murray W. Forth, Moline, lll.,

assignors to Deere & Company, Moline, ill., a corporation of DelawareFiled Dec. 28, i961, Ser. No. 162,669 14 Claims. (Cl. 14N- 14) Thisinvention relates to -a die structure for a wafering machine andparticularly for that type of machine used for wafering forage productssuch as hay, grasses, straw i and the like.

In a machine of this type, as distinguished frointhe conventionalso-called pellet mill, which is primarily intended for the handling ofgranular or pulverulent material, one of the major problems during thefield operation is incurred in the changeover from a single row ofdie'cells or openings to amultiple row. That is lto say,

as distinguished from the conventional pellet rnill, the die means in aVwafering machine, which is conventionally or preferably annular, is madeup of an annulus comprising a pair of ring-like coaXially spaced apartside members and a plurality of uniformly circumferentially spaced apartintervening die blocks or spacers which afford a like plurality ofgenerally radially extending die openings, which in common practice todate are rectangular in section so that the machinev is capable ofproducing wheels within the annulus rolls about the track Iandsuccessively extrudes forage material through the die open-v ings. Inmost cases, the annulus will be xed and the orbiting action of the presswheel may be regarded as planetary. In other instances, both the annulusand the press wheel move, which is largely a matter of choice, at leastso far as the present invention is concerned.

It is desirable in some instances to produce wafers having `a smallercross section than that noted above, and some effort has been devoted tothe production of an annulus in which a splitter meansis used laterallyintermediate the side members so' that the two-by-two -inch wafers arein eifect split into'two-by-o'ne inch, wafers l(less the thickness ofthe splitter),v However, most of these change-overs require considerabledismantling of the annulus, which is normallyy of a fabricated.structure in which at least one of theside members can be removed. Insome instances, the conversion from Ya'single-row to a multiple-row ydiealso vrequires interchangeability of thel blocks to accommodate thesplitter means.

According to the present invention, vthese problems are f eliminated bythe provision of a die annulus in which a splitter is utilized in theform of a continuous circumferential member readily ymounted in andreadily removable from the basic annulus so as to be readily installedand removed in the eld without dismantling of the major parts ofthemachina Ina preferred embodiment of the invention, the divider elementis in the form of a wirelike or rod-like element which may beofcircular, rectangular, etc. section or such other element which extendscircumferentially 'and circumscribes or is circumscribed by the circleon which the inlet ends of the die openings lie. It is a feature of theinvention to provide novel retaining means for holding the dividerelement in place. In one form of the invention, the inner ends of thespacers are notchedvso as to receive the divider, v,which maybe ICC inthe form of a snap ring having such resilience that its diameter may bechanged for insertion and removal, it being understood that, because ofits snap ring characteristics, lthe bias in the ring normally maintainsit in place. In `another form of the invention, the inner ends of thespacers are circumferentially apertured in circumferential alinement andthe divider is threaded therethrough. The divider, when installed, iscontinuous, but of course it is provided in its snap-ring form withseparated ends, and in one form of the invention these ends are soshaped as to establish an overlap and interlock retainable within theaperture of one of the die openings. Fundamentally, the divider elementhas limited cross-sectional area or dimension in the direction ofmovementof the wafered material and, being installed at the inlet endsof the die openings, causes the material to split at the inlet end and,even though the-material merges beyond the divider, it is found that thetwo (or more) separated sections of the wafer can be readily separated,thus enabling handling of the wafers in smaller sizes. The significanceof using the splitter means at the inlet end of the die cell is that inthat area the material is still somewhat plastic or free-flowing orsofter and hence is easier to split than it would be farther up in thecell, where it would be harder .and more compact. Further, according 'tothis invention, splitting into two ormore cells can be achieved withoutapplying density control tothe splitting means.

vThe' foregoing and other important objects and desirable featuresinherent in and encompassed by the invention will become apparent as apreferred embodiment thereof is disclosed in detail in the ensuingdescription and accompanying sheet of drawings, the figures of which aredescribed below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a representative die annulus.

FIG.- 2 is a reduced elevation, partly in section, and with parts brokenaway, showing a typical relationship between the iannulus and a presswheel for extruding material radially outwardly through the dieopenings.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section of substan- .tially thebroken-away portion shown in FIG. 2, illustrating one form of theinvention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4 4 of FIG.

l", but to which has been added a representative formationgof a splitwafer plus the association of the press wheel relative to the dieopening.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing aV variation in thedivider element structure.

' In the preferred structure illustrated, the die annulus,

designated in its entirety by the numeral iii, is generally iixedlymounted in a framework (not shown) and is made upof coaxially spacedapart ringlike side memel Y or die blocks i8, which consequently afforda like plul nulus, as shown at Se.

rality of die cells or openings 2t). In the particular instance chosenfor purposes of illustration,'the inner endrs of the spacers, as at 22coincide generally with what may be regarded, as a circle about the axisof the annulus, and this'circle has a diameter somewhat larger than theinside diameter of the member or circular plate 12 (FIG. 4)` thus'affording a. track or groove in the general area designated 24 in orsubstantially in which a press wheel 26 rolls as it is carriedin orbitalor planetary fashion in a circular path traveled by its axis hererepresented by a press wheel shaft 28 which may bev part of a crankshaft journaled in the framework (not shown) and having its main axiscoincident with the axis of the an- For example, and looking atretaining means for removably receiving the divider element andretaining same in place in recessed relation to said end portions.

2. The invention dened in claim 1, in which: the retaining meansincludes a plurality of notches respectively in the end portions of thespacers at said one periphery, said notches being circumferentiallyalined, and said divider element is received in and carried by saidnotches.

3. The invention delined in claim 2, in which: said notches openradially at said one periphery and said divider element is in the formof a snap ring removably received in said notches.

4. The invention dened in claim 1, in which: the retaining meansincludes a plurality of circumferentially directed aperturesrespectively in and adjacent to the end portions of the spacers at saidone periphery, said apertures being circumferentially alined, and saiddivider element has opposite ends and is of such length as to extendcircumferentially -as aforesaid, said element being thread* ed throughsaid apertures and said opposite ends of the elements being broughttogether within one of said apertures.

5. The invention defined in claim 47 in which: said ends of the elementare shaped to overlap and interiit within said one opening.

6. The invention dened in claim l, in which: said retaining means andelement are so constructed and arranged as to enable removal of saidelement from the annulus.

7. Die structure for a watering machine, comprising: an annulus havinginner and outer peripheries and including a pair of coaxially spacedapart ring-like side members and a plurality of uniformlycircumferentially spaced apart generally radial spacers arranged betweenthe side members and rigid therewith to provide a like plurality of dieopenings, each spacer and opening having radially opposite inner andouter end portions respectively at the inner and outer peripheries ofthe annulus, the end portions of the openings at one peripheryestablishing material inlets and the end portions of the openings at theother periphery establishing material outlets; a divider elementextending circumferentially of the annulus at said one periphery andengaging the end portions of the spacers at said one periphery andaxially intermediate said side members to circumferentially bridge thedie opening end portions at said one periphery, said element being oflimited radial dimension in the area of said one periphery and said endportions of the spacers at said one periphery being cut away toaccommodate and provide retaining means for removably receiving thedivider element and retaining same in place in recessed relation to saidend portions.

8. Die structure for a watering machine, comprising: means providing arow of die elements including a pair of transversely spaced apart sidemembers and a plurality of spacers disposed between and rigidly securedto said members in uniformly spaced relation along said row to provide alike plurality of die openings, said spacers respectively havingrow-alined material-inlet ends and opposite row-alined material-outletends; a relatively thin wire-like divider element .extending lengthwiseof the row and laterally intermediate the side members and engaging theends of the spacers at the inlet ends of the die openings to bridge anddivide said inlet ends; and said inlet ends soy 6 of the spacers beingcut away to accommodate and provide retaining means for removablyreceiving the divider element and retaining same in place in recessedrelation to said inlet ends.

9. The invention defined in claim 8, in which: the retaining meansincludes notches respectively in said spacer ends and receiving saidelement.

10. The invention defined in claim 8, in which: the retaining meansincludes lengthwise-directed row-alined apertures respectively in saidspacer ends and through which said element is threaded.

11. Die structure for a watering machine, comprising: a pair of spacedapart side members and a pair of spaced apart spacers rigidly disposedbetween the members to provide a die opening in which opposed portionsof the members afford a pair of walls and opposed portions of thespacers provide another pair of walls, said opening f having amaterial-inlet end and a material-outlet end; a relatively thinwire-like divider element disposed intermediate the side members andextending between the spacers and bridging the opening at its inlet end;and said end portions of the spacers at said 'one periphery being cutaway to accommodate and provide retaining means for removably receivingthe divider element and retaining same in place in recessed relation tosaid end portions.

12. The invention defined in claim 11, in which: the retaining meansincludes notches respectively in said spacers at said inlet end of theopening and receiving said element.

13. The invention dened in claim 11, in which: the retaining meansincludes alined apertures respectively in said spacers at said inlet endof the opening and through which said element is threaded.

14. Die structure for a watering machine, comprising: a pair of spacedapart side members and a pair of spaced apart spacers rigidly disposedbetween the members to provide a die opening in which opposed portionsof the members afford a pair of walls and opposed portions of thespacers provide another pair of walls, said opening having amaterial-inlet end and a material-outlet end; a divider element disposedintermediate the side members and extending between the spacers andbridging the opening at its inlet end, said element having a relativelysmall cross-sectional dimension in the direction of and relative to thelength of the die opening from end to end of said opening; and saidspacers being cut away at said inlet end of the opening to accommodateand provide retaining means for removably receiving the divider elementand retaining same in place in recessed relation to said inlet ends.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,783,287 Hilgendorf Dec. 2, 1930 1,803,344 Noxon May 5, 1931 1,943,506Baer ian. 16, 1934 2,321,188 Doering et al lune 8, 1943 2,603,170 MeakinJuly l5, 1952 2,646,594 Field July 28, 1953 3,090,182 Johnson et al. May21, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,250,174 France Nov. 28, 1960

7. DIE STRUCTURE FOR A WAFERING MACHINE, COMPRISING: AN ANNULUS HAVINGINNER AND OUTER PERIPHERIES AND INCLUDING A PAIR OF COAXIALLY SPACEDAPART RING-LIKE SIDE MEMBERS AND A PLURALITY OF UNIFORMLYCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED APART GENERALLY RADIAL SPACERS ARRANGED BETWEENTHE SIDE MEMBERS AND RIGID THEREWITH TO PROVIDE A LIKE PLURALITY OF DIEOPENINGS, EACH SPACER AND OPENING HAVING RADIALLY OPPOSITE INNER ANDOUTER END PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY AT THE INNER AND OUTER PERIPHERIES OFTHE ANNULUS, THE END PORTIONS OF THE OPENINGS AT ONE PERIPHERYESTABLISHING MATERIAL INLETS AND THE END PORTIONS OF THE OPENINGS AT THEOTHER PERIPHERY ESTABLISHING MATERIAL OUTLETS; A DIVIDER ELEMENTEXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OF THE ANNULUS AT SAID ONE PERIPHERY ANDENGAGING THE END PORTIONS OF THE SPACERS AT SAID ONE PERIPHRY ANDAXIALLY INTERMEDIATE SAID SIDE MEMBERS TO CIRCUMFERENTIALLY BRIDGE THEDIE OPENING END PORTIONS AT SAID ONE PERIPHERY, SAID ELEMENT BEING OFLIMITED RADIAL DIMENSION IN THE AREA OF SAID ONE PERIPHERY AND SAID ENDPORTIONS OF THE SPACERS AT SAID ONE PERIPHERY BEING CUT AWAY TOACCOMMODATE AND PROVIDE RETAINING MEANS FOR REMOVABLY RECEIVING THEDIVIDER ELEMENT AND RETAINING SAME IN PLACE IN RECESSED RELATION TO SAIDEND PORTIONS.